Department: Finance

Location: Dubai

Role Type: Permanent

The Role

This is a senior management position within the Middle East and Africa region of Clyde & Co that oversees all functions within the finance and accounting department. The role reports to the Head of Finance MEA with a functional reporting line to the Global Controller based in London. As a member of the regional finance leadership team, there will also be a number of functional managers reporting into this role.

The key expectations of this role are to oversee the accounting & fiscal operations of the company, from maintaining systems of accounting records to developing comprehensive sets of controls and framework designed to mitigate risk and enhance the accuracy of the firm's reported financial results, while ensuring that all activity complies with international financial reporting standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for establishing financial procedures, controls and appropriate accounting policies that strengthen the MEA governance model, and ensure transparency and consistency.
• Advising on organisational and corporate structures for the firm across the MEA region with the aim of optimising financial outcomes
• Effectively deputise for Head of Finance MEA
• Responsible for the management and integrity of the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close process.
• Responsible for integrity of client money, in line with SRA regulations.
• Responsible for supervising the formal balance sheet review cycle.
• Lead and overseeing statutory audits for all entities across the region, ensuring timely filing and reporting to Group as well as regional regulators.
• Responsible for cash flow forecasting and treasury management including liaising with group treasury on a monthly basis in regard to cash position
• Responsible for payroll activity for the MEA region, working closely with the HR function.
• First line support for Tax, Accounts Payable & Payroll.
• Manage the regional banking relationships, facilities and day to day cash position to ensure funding levels in each location can meet the short-term liabilities.
• Lead automations and new ERP/ System implementation for the middle east in conjunction with the Group,
• Building relationships, influencing and presenting at the different meetings within the MEA region.
• Manage and build the Global Business Service centre based in Glasgow, Scotland

Candidate Requirements

We are looking for an experienced finance professional with high-level analytical skills, brilliant management ability and a sound understanding of how an international law firm operates. The ideal candidate will also have:

• A minimum of 10 years extensive experience managing and developing finance teams, preparing and analysing reports and making improvements to fiscal tools and systems
• Experience of working in the Middle East
• Chartered Accountant or equivalent
• Experience using Elite 3E or similar practice management systems advantageous
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written (must be fluent in English)
• Strong numeracy skills and an excellent level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Advanced Excel skills
• Strong time management and organisational skills and the ability to work well under pressure and to regular tight deadlines
• The ability to problem solve, analyse situations and identify key issues
• The ability to formulate and evaluate alternative options for recovery of problem debts
• Experience of working in a VAT and CIT environment
• Experience of managing a payroll function.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with a multitude of different stakeholders
• Experience of working with an offshore shared service centre would be advantageous
• Proven track record in delivery of timely results

Clyde & Co

Clyde & Co is a global law firm which has quadrupled in size over the past decade.Revenues from the firm's 50+ offices* worldwide rose to £845million for the last financial year.The firm has over 1,800 fee earners, across six continents, with 4,000 staff advising corporates, financial institutions, private individuals and governments.

Clyde & Co, MEA

With over 30 years' experience in the region and the largest presence of any international law firm, we pride ourselves on being able to help clients recognise and overcome the challenges of doing business in the Middle East.

Our more than 40 partners and 150 legal professionals work from five offices located across the region. Our Dubai office acts as a central hub for our regional operations that include offices in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Doha in Qatar, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Our large regional presence enables us to support our clients across the full spectrum of their corporate and commercial needs throughout the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and wider Levant.

Our deep sector knowledge covers insurance, energy, transport, infrastructure, marine and trade as well as aviation, education, defence, finance, healthcare, hospitality and technology.

*includes associated offices.

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